Mycobacterium vanbaalenii: Difference between revisions
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Describe any interesting features and/or cell structures; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces. | Describe any interesting features and/or cell structures; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces. | ||
<i>Mycobacteria</i> are in the group of Actinobacteria, gram-positive bacteria who live mostly in the soil and are involved in the degradation of organic materials. Like other <i>Mycobacterium</i>, <i>M. vanbaalenii </i>is an acid-fast, aerobic bacteria which stains Gram positive. It is a rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-sporulating organism. It has only 1 layer of cell wall, which is hydrophobic, waxy and thicker than the cell walls of most other bacteria. This cell wall contains much mycolic acid which gives the genus (<i>Mycobacterium</i>) its name. It has been deduced that the majority of <i>M. vanbaalenii’s</i> energy is derived from the metabolic degradation of PAHs for carbon and energy source. Due to its thick, waxy cell wall this genus of bacteria are very hardy, making them (especially in the case of some pathogenic strains) very resistant to antibiotics. | <i>Mycobacteria</i> are in the group of Actinobacteria, gram-positive bacteria who live mostly in the soil and are involved in the degradation of organic materials. Like other <i>Mycobacterium</i>, <i>M. vanbaalenii </i>is an acid-fast, aerobic bacteria which stains Gram positive. It is a rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-sporulating organism. Cells can grow singly, paired, or clustered with almost no pleomorphism (variation in cell size and nucleus shape). It has only 1 layer of cell wall, which is hydrophobic, waxy and thicker than the cell walls of most other bacteria. This cell wall contains much mycolic acid which gives the genus (<i>Mycobacterium</i>) its name. It has been deduced that the majority of <i>M. vanbaalenii’s</i> energy is derived from the metabolic degradation of PAHs for carbon and energy source. Due to its thick, waxy cell wall this genus of bacteria are very hardy, making them (especially in the case of some pathogenic strains) very resistant to antibiotics. | ||
==Ecology== | ==Ecology== | ||
Revision as of 06:35, 3 May 2007
Mycobacterium vanbaalenii
(This page is currently under construction)
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Mycobacterium vanbaalenii
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteridae; Actinomycetales; Coyrnebacterineae; Mycobacteriaceae; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1
Genus
Mycobacterium vanbaalenii
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Description
Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why it is important enough to have its genome sequenced. Describe how and where it was isolated. Include a picture or two (with sources) if you can find them.
Some members of the Mycobacterium genus have are able to degrade various environmentally toxic chemicals. Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1 was first found in the Harbor Island oil tank farm in the watershed of Redfish Bay, Texas. It is notable for it’s ability to degrade the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pyrene for as its sole carbon and energy source. PAH are common organic pollutants; some, i.e. pyrene, is found in incompletely combusted petroleum products. Some PAHs have been identified as carcinogens and pyrene itself is known to be toxic to the liver and kidneys. It has been proposed that the understanding of the genome sequence of the PYR-1 strain will allow an understanding of the PAH degradation pathway and may prove useful ecologically in bioremediation processes.
Genome structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?
The PYR-1 strain has a circular chromosome. It has 5,979 protein genes, and 58 RNA genes. It has 6,491,865 base pairs with a G+C content of 67.8%, 91% of these genes code for something (are functional). It contains 99 pseudogenes. These are genes which accumulate mutations at a higher rate, rendering them non-functional.
Cell structure and metabolism
Describe any interesting features and/or cell structures; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Mycobacteria are in the group of Actinobacteria, gram-positive bacteria who live mostly in the soil and are involved in the degradation of organic materials. Like other Mycobacterium, M. vanbaalenii is an acid-fast, aerobic bacteria which stains Gram positive. It is a rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-sporulating organism. Cells can grow singly, paired, or clustered with almost no pleomorphism (variation in cell size and nucleus shape). It has only 1 layer of cell wall, which is hydrophobic, waxy and thicker than the cell walls of most other bacteria. This cell wall contains much mycolic acid which gives the genus (Mycobacterium) its name. It has been deduced that the majority of M. vanbaalenii’s energy is derived from the metabolic degradation of PAHs for carbon and energy source. Due to its thick, waxy cell wall this genus of bacteria are very hardy, making them (especially in the case of some pathogenic strains) very resistant to antibiotics.
Ecology
Describe any interactions with other organisms (included eukaryotes), contributions to the environment, effect on environment, etc.
Pathology
How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
M. vanbaalenii is non-pathogenic and is currently characterized under risk group 1.
Application to Biotechnology
Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?
Current Research
Enter summaries of the most recent research here--at least three required
References
Edited by ChauNhien Nguyen, student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano
